Box fastener



0a. 22, 1935. K. F. BERTHOLD 2,018,629

BOX FASTENER Filed Dec. 12, 1933 Inventor; 22725672 15 a A it Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOX FASTENER Application December 12, 1933, Serial No. 701,973

20 Claims.

This invention relates to fasteners of the type used for temporarily securing separable portions of a box, envelope or the like container, and more particularly to an improvement in box fasteners of the deformable type especially suitable for detachably holding closed the cover or lid of a fiber board box or envelope for mailing and other purposes.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a fastener of the aforesaid type which is of simple construction and economical to manufacture, and which may be quickly, accurately and securely attached to a box or other container either by hand or by means of an automatic machine.

Another object is to provide a fastener of the type having a bendable tab or loop of ductile wire adapted to be passed through a slot or opening in the cover of a box or the like separable part of a container, the end portions of the loop member and the parts associated therewith being so affixed to the box or container that their sharp ends are embedded in the walls thereof or are otherwise concealed and their exposed portions present relatively smooth, rounded surfaces, thereby avoiding sharp edges and projections which might otherwise scratch or injure the hands of the user or catch on and damage articles with which they might come in contact.

Further objects relate to various features of construction and will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a box equipped with a fastener constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the outside of the box with the lid removed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation of the inside of the box;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line l4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the shield member;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged rear elevation of another form of fastener;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation of the inside of a box equipped with the fastener unit shown in Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged plan View of the shield member blank of the fastener shown in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 11 is a sectional view through the end of a box showing a further modification.

In the embodiment shown in Figs 1 to 6, the 5 fastener comprises a substantially U-shaped loop member l0 and a shield or saddle member E5. The loop member ID has substantially parallel legs H and I2 applied to the outer face of wall M of a container or box B and terminating in hooked 10 or inwardly bent free ends, and the shield member I5 is applied to and covers the legs or lower portions of the loop member, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The hooked ends of the legs I l and 12 extend through the wall 54 and are bent upwardly against the inner surface of the wall, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The shield or saddle i5 may be stamped or otherwise formed from a blank of sheet metal and is provided with integral, rearwardly bendable prongs l6 and [1, preferably having 20 tapered or pointed ends, as shown in Fig. 6, adapted to pierce the wall M of the box.

In assembling the fastener with the container or box B, the loop member is first applied, either by hand or machine, so that its hooked ends ex- 25 tend inwardly through the wall it and upwardly against its inner surface, as shown in Fig. 4. The shield member is then applied over the legs of the loop member, the prongs it and Il being bent rearwardly pierce the wall l4 of the box, and 30 are then bent inwardlly toward each other over the upwardly bent ends of the legs H and 12, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, thereby clamping the intermediate portion of the legs H and I2 against the outer face of wall M. Preferably the arrangement of the parts is such that the inwardly bent ends of the legs provide a fulcrum or pivot point, slightly spaced from the inner face of the wall M, about which the prongs l6 and ll, respectively, may be bent inwardly toward each other and against the inner face of the wall 14 so that their sharp ends may be embedded therein, as shown in Fig. 5. When thus applied the intermediate portions of the prongs l6 and il overlap or cover the sharp ends of the legs ii and I2, respectively, and present relatively smooth rounded surfaces, thereby avoiding sharp edges and projections which might otherwise scratch or injure the hands of the user, and catch on and 50 damage articles with which they might come in contact.

The deformable upper end of the loop 89 projects above the edge of the box and is arranged to be inserted through a complemental slot 59 in a cover C of the box and bent over, as shown at the left of Fig. 1, to hold the closed cover firmly in position. Preferably the shield extends approximately to the edge of the box and its width is suflicient to conceal and firmly to clamp the lower ends of the legs against the outer surface of the box, thus preventing accidental detachment of the fastener and providing a smoothsurfaced plate on the exterior of the box.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. '7 to 10 the fastener consists of a unit comprising the loop member Ill which is of the same shape and construction as that shown in the previously de scribed embodiment and a shield. member as which is directly attached to the loop member. The shield member 26 is similar in shape to that shown in Fig. 6 but is provided with two pairs of rearwardly bendable, integral tongues 22 and 23,

in addition to the retaining prongs 24 and 25,

as shown in Fig. 10. 'The tongues 22 and 23 are bent about the legs H and !2 of the loop member, as shown in Fig. 7, and thus secure the loop to the rearward side of the shield, thereby to produce the fastener unit which is ready for attachment to the box.

In attaching the unit to the box, the hooked ends of legs H and i2 and the prongs 24 and 25 are first driven through the wall it, the hooked ends of legs H and I2 are then bent upwardly, and finally the projecting ends of the prongs 2 3 and 25 are bent inwardly over the upwardly bent ends of the legs, as shown in Fig. 8. In this embodiment, as well as in the previously described embodiment, the intermediate portions of the prongs 2e and 25 overlie and conceal the ends of the legs, and the sharp points of the prongs are embedded in the inner surface of the wall I 4, thus presenting relatively smooth, rounded surfaces and avoiding all sharp and undesirable projections.

In Fig. 11 is shown a fastener 39, constructed in accordance with the present invention, applied to a box having a wall 3! which is heavier or thicker than the wall [4 shown in the previously described embodiments. Due to the thickness of the wall 3i the hooked ends 32 of the loop member ill do not extend all the way through the wall. However, due to the slight, unyielding bulges 33 on the inner face of the wall 3|, caused by the ends 32, the retaining prongs 34 of the shield 35 may be bent inwardly toward each other with their pointed ends embedded in the inner face of the wall 3|, as in the previouslydescribed embodiments.

While I have shown and described different embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only, and that various changes in shape, proportion, and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fastener attached to the body of a container and adapted to be detachably secured to a closure member-for the container, comprising a loop member formed of ductile wire and having its free ends embedded in the wall of said container, and a shield embracing the intermediate portions of said loop member to clamp it in position against the wall of said container, said shield having inwardly bent prongs projecting through the wall of the container and overlapping the ends of said loop member, the ends of said prongs being bent about the ends of said member and embedded in the inner wall of said container.

2. A fastener attached to the body of a container and adapted to be detachably secured to a closure member for the container, comprising a substantially U-shaped loop member formed of ductile wire, the ends of said loop member being hooked and embedded in the wall of the container, and a shield embracing said loop intermediate its ends and clamping it in position against the outer wall of the container, said shield having inwardly bent prongs projecting through the wall of the container and overlapping the ends of said loop member, the ends of said prongs being bent about the ends of said member and embedded in the inner wall of said container.

3. A fastener attached to the body of a container and adapted to be detachably secured to a closure member for the container, comprising a loop member formed of ductile wire and having parallel legs applied against the outer wall of the container, the ends of said legs being inwardly bent and embedded in the wall of the container, and a shield embracing the legs of said loop member to clamp said loop against the outer wall of the container, said shield having inwardly bent retaining prongs projecting through the body of the container and overlapping the ends of said loop member, the ends of said prongs being bent about the ends of said loop member and embedded in the inner wall of said 0011178111812.

4. A box fastener of the class described comprising a substantially U-shaped loop member applied to the outer wall of a box, the ends of said loop member being bent inwardly and extending through the wall of the box and upwardly against the inner wall thereof, and a shield embracing said loop intermediate its ends, said shield having inwardly bent prongs extending through the wall of the box'and overlapping the upwardly bent ends of said loop member.

5. A box fastener of the class described comprising a loop member having substantially parallel legs applied against the outer surface of the box, the ends of said legs being bent inwardly and extending through the wall of the box and upwardly against the inner wall thereof, and a shield embracing and covering the legs of said loop to clamp it against the outer wall of the box, said shield having prongs projecting through the wall of the box, the ends of said prongs being embedded in the inner wall of said box and overlapping the upwardly bent ends of said legs.

6. A box fastener of the class described comprising a loop member having substantially parallel legs applied against the outer surface of the box, the ends of said legs being bent inwardly and extending through the wall of the box and upwardly against the inner wall thereof, and a shield embracing and covering the legs of said loop'to clamp it againstthe outer wall of the box, said shield having prongs extending through the wall of the box and being bent about the inwardly bent ends of said legs so that the ends of said prongs are embedded in the inner wall of the box.

7. A box fastener of the class described comprising a loop member formed of ductile wire and having substantially parallel legs terminating in hooked ends which extend through the wall of the box, and a shield secured to the outer side of the box over the lower ends of said legs, said shield having prongs extending through the wall of the box with their ends bent over the ends of said legs and embedded in the inner wall of the box.

8. A box fastener of the class described comprising a substantially U-shaped loop of ductile wire, a shield having integral tongues on its lateral edges rigidly securing the lower ends of said loop member against its rearward surface, and prongs integral with and bendable rearwardly of the shield for attaching the fastener to acontainer.

9. A box fastener attached to the body of a container and adapted to be detachably secured to a slotted cover for the container, comprising a substantially U-shaped loop member of ductile wire applied to the outer wall of the container, the legs of said loop being inwardly bent and extending through the wall of the container and terminating in upwardly bent ends, a shield member embracing the legs of said member, said shield member having integral tongues on opposite lateral edges rigidly securing said loop member to its rearward surface, and prongs extending through the wall of said container with their ends bent over the upwardly bent ends of said legs.

10. A box fastener attached to the body of a container and adapted to be detachably secured to a slotted cover for the container, a loop member of ductile wire applied to the outer wall of the container, the legs of said loop being inwardly bent and extending through the wall of the container and terminating in upwardly bent ends, a shield member embracing the legs of the said loop, said shield member having integral tongues on opposite lateral edges bent about the legs of said loop and rigidly securing them to the rearward surface of the shield member, and prongs extending through the wall of said container with their ends overlapping the upwardly bent ends of said legs.

11. A fastener for detachably securing a 010- sure member having a slotted portion to a container, said fastener comprising a substantially U-shaped loop member of ductile wire, a shield member having integral means for rigidly securing the legs of the loop member against one side of the shield, the closed end of said loop projecting beyond the upper edge of said shield for insertion through the slotted portion of the closure member, and means integral with one of said members for attaching the fastener to the container.

12. A fastener for detachably securing a closure member having a slotted portion to a container, said fastener comprising a substantially U-shaped loop member of ductile wire, a shield member of sheet metal, means integral with said shield member for rigidly securing the loop member to its rearward surface, the closed end of said loop projecting beyond the upper edge of said shield for insertion through the slotted portion of the closure member, said means including rearwardly bent portions of said shield which engage the lower ends of said loop member, and means integral with one of said members for attaching the fastener unit to the container.

13; A fastener for detachably securing a closure member having a slotted portion to a container, said fastener comprising a substantially U-shaped loop of ductile wire, a shield member having integral means for rigidly securing the lower ends of said loop member against its rearward surface, the closed end of said loop projecting beyond the upper edge of said shield for insertion through the slotted portion of the 010- 5 sure member, and prongs integral with and bendable rearwardly of the shield for attaching the fastener to the container.

14. A fastener for detachably securing a 010- sure member having a slotted portion to a container, said fastener comprising a substantially U-shaped loop of ductile wire having hooked end portions projecting substantially at right angles from the legs of the loop and adapted to be embedded in the wall of the container, a shield member having rearwardly bent portions rigidly securing the lower ends of said loop member against its rearward surface, the closed end of the loop projecting beyond the upper edge of said shield for insertion through the slotted portion of the closure member, and prongs integral with and bendable rearwardly of the shield for attaching the fastener to a container.

15. A fastener of the type specified consisting ofa strip of sheet-metal shaped to form pointed teeth at its ends, said teeth being bent at right angles to the plane of the strip to provide prongs for clinching through the side of a box, and a hairpin-shaped wire loop overlying the face of the strip with its legs permanently attached thereto and projecting above the strip to adapt it to be inserted through a slit in the cover of the box.

16. A fastener unit comprising a shield member of sheet-metal having pointed end portions providing prongs, and a clip consisting of a U- shaped piece of ductile wire joined to said shield member intermediate said prongs, the looped end of said clip projecting beyond one of the longitudinal edges of said shield member and the free ends of said clip projecting beyond the opposite longitudinal edge of said shield member and. providing an additional pair of prongs.

17. A fastener unit comprising a sheet-metal shield member having end portions cut at an 5 angle and bent inwardly to provide prongs, and a clip consisting of a U-shaped piece of ductile wire united to said shield member intermediate its inwardly bent ends, the looped end of said clip projecting beyond one of the longitudinal edges of said shield member and the free ends of said clip being bent inwardly to provide an additional pair of prongs.

18. A fastener attached to the body of a container and adapted to be detachably secured to a closure member for the container, comprising a substantially U-shaped loop member formed of ductile wire and having its legs applied against the outer wall of the container, the ends of said legs being inwardly bent and embedded in the wall of the container, and a shield member embracing the legs of said loop member to clamp it against the outer wall of the container, said shield having inwardly bent retaining prongs projecting through the body of the container and clenched against the inner wall thereof.

19. A fastener permanently attached to the body of a box and adapted to be detachably secured to a slotted cover for the box, comprising a loop member formed of a single piece of ductile wire having parallel legs applied against the outer surface of the box, and a saddle straddling said legs and covering the ends "of said legs, the saddle having retaining portions engaging the box body to clamp the loop legs therebetween.

20. A fastener permanently attached to the body of a box and adapted to be detachably secured to a slotted cover for the box, comprising a loop member formed of a single piece of ductile 5 wire having parallel legs applied against the outer surface of the box, and a cover plate straddling the legs and appliedover the end portions thereof, said plate having retaining ears struck through the box body at opposite .sides of the loop and engaging the inner surface of the body to clamp the loop legs between the plate and body.

KENNETH F. BER'II-IOLD. 

